Panagatan Restaurant is one of the popular restaurants in Misamis Oriental, Philippines known for its delicious dishes. Its main branch is located in Opol, Misamis Oriental with a floating restaurant by the sea.
Since then, a lot of branches have now been located in prominent malls not to mention when I visited SM City in Cagayan De Oro City the other day, we were tempted to have dinner at the restaurant after seeing it on the ground floor.
After I had seen its name inside a mall, I decided to enter the restaurant. The place was not as huge as the main branch but what mattered to me was the taste of the delicious seafood.
When I entered the restaurant, there were many customers dining so I had to decide where to sit down. Even if the space was not so spacious, I still stayed and looked for an area where we could stay.
Meanwhile, we sat down at the most comfortable side. Good thing the area was good for five. But I was also waiting for a friend to arrive. At that moment, the rain was so heavy, so it took a while for him to reach the restaurant. And since the weather was cold, my appetite was more for soup along with my favorite seafood dishes.
The Enticing Menu
The staff handed me the menu after I was seated with the group. What amazes me about this restaurant is the seafood at its freshest, the live catch of the day, and the presence of bilao for group meals.
And then just before my order arrived, the staff prepared our platings. Here is a quick shot of the plate and the utensils at the table. The placemat was made of paper and it was disposable.
I ordered Bilao C with the presence of grilled panga, grilled bangus, kinilaw, and gambas. Then I ordered an additional bulalo and fried chicken along with a healthy fruit drink which is the cucumber lemonade.
While waiting for my order, I was fascinated with the architectural design of the restaurant, so I took a moment to stroll around and take some quick photos.
The Ceiling
The word “Panagatan” is a native dialect that means a fishing boat. That is why inside the Panagatan Restaurant is a variety of fishing boats with a beautiful display of lights.
I so love the colorful boat designs depicting the name of the restaurant Panagatan. And, this restaurant is widely known here in Misamis Oriental for its finest seafood dishes that are truly delicious.
Here is a view of the elegant ceiling at another angle that I captured while waiting for my orders.
There was a perfect combination of the interior design on the ceiling making the fishing boats so prominent reflecting the name of the restaurant Panagatan. I observed in all of their branches, the boats of different designs were decorated at every corner and even at the ceiling. They were truly so elegant even in person.
After twenty minutes, our orders were served at the table. I was so hungry at that moment so I have eaten a lot with more rice on my plate.
Finally, all my orders were served which consisted of the Bilao, the Bulalo, the Buttered Fried Chicken, and the Cucumber lemonade.
The Rice
A platter of rice was served by the staff. I was so hungry that I had eaten so many cups of rice. Although the restaurant does not offer an unlimited rice offer, I ordered another platter that would be enough for the group.
The Buttered Fried Chicken
The buttered fried chicken was so delicious. It has a siding that is also my favorite known as the Atsara. Atsara is an appetizer made of scraped papaya fermented in vinegar and a lot of spices which even added more appetite to my meal.
The Bulalo
The bulalo on our table was truly perfect for the cold weather. Since I was younger, this menu has been my favorite. I love sipping the marrow inside the bone making it my favorite dish. The bulalo had a mixture of vegetables such as pechay, gabi, and many spices for soup. It was truly tasty and it warmed my stomach at the moment.
The Bilao
The mixture of foods in the Bilao is so enticing. It is presented in a native way wherein all of them were placed in a Bilao with the banana lead as the mat.
The panga and bangus were all grilled well. They were so spicy and tasty. The Gambas is a hot and sizzling shrimp made with a special sauce that has a unique flavor. And then the Kinilaw is a raw fish mixed with a variety of spices and is soaked in a hot and spicy vinegar.
Perhaps I had a great time dining at Panagatan Restaurant. Next time, I wanted to order another set of Bilao with a different mixture of food. I have also discovered a unique dish wherein it was placed on a coconut shell with a variety of seafood as what I have seen on another table. Indeed, I was so full and had a delicious dinner at Panagatan Restaurant.
Disclaimer: All texts and pictures are my own unless otherwise stated.
